Important Notice: Due to a corruption in the BR forum database we regret to announce that data records relating to some of our registered users have been lost. We estimate approx. 500 user details are deleted.

To ease the process of recreating the user IDs we request members that have previously posted on the BR forums to recognise and identify their posts, once the posts are identified please contact the BRF moderator team by emailing BRF Mod Team with your post details.

The mod team will be able to update your username, email etc. so that the user history can be maintained.

Unfortunately for members that have never posted or have had all their posts deleted i.e. users that have 0 posts, we will be unable to recreate your account hence we request that you re-register again.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused and thank you for your understanding.

The Strategic Issues & International Relations Forum is a venue to discuss issues pertaining to India's security environment, her strategic outlook on global affairs and as well as the effect of international relations in the Indian Subcontinent. We request members to kindly stay within the mandate of this forum and keep their exchanges of views, on a civilised level, however vehemently any disagreement may be felt. All feedback regarding forum usage may be sent to the moderators using the Feedback Form or by clicking the Report Post Icon in any objectionable post for proper action. Please note that the views expressed by the Members and Moderators on these discussion boards are that of the individuals only and do not reflect the official policy or view of the Bharat-Rakshak.com Website. Copyright Violation is strictly prohibited and may result in revocation of your posting rights - please read the FAQ for full details. Users must also abide by the Forum Guidelines at all times.

Also I think some one should invite Milo to JNU or Jadavpur or Shastra or IITM - take your pick - Will be apt foil to congies highjacking Ambedkars anniversary by flying in Martin luther King III who promptly plugs for "Dalit lives matter" (which apes the Violent and extremist Black lives matter movement in US) all the while standing shoulder to shoulder with Rahul Gandhi and assorted congi acolytes in Bengaluru .

BENGALURU: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi has alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the RSS were out to 'strangulate' the Constitution and 'rob' every Indian of his 'voice' and 'future'.Speaking at a conference organised by the Karnataka government to mark the 126th anniversary of BR Ambedkar, Gandhi said, "Modi and the RSS are out to strangle reality. Like what they did to Rohit Vemula and Mohammad Akhlaq, they are out to rob the voice and the future of every Indian. Modi has become an emperor without clothes, but nobody is willing to tell him that. India's freedom was handed over to the British by a few Indians. Modi and the RSS are trying to rob you of the same freedom."

Civil rights activist Martin Luther King III, who was invited for the function, drew parallels between US President Donald Trump and Modi and alleged that both had unleashed "ferocious animosity" which had to be countered by the people by rising up against it.He drew parallels between 'Dalit Lives Matter' and 'Black Lives Matter' movement and the lives, thoughts, struggles and philosophies of his father Martin Luther King Jr and Ambedkar.

King III, a human rights advocate and community activist was speaking at the inauguration of the three-day conference “Quest for equity - Reclaiming social justice, revisiting Ambedkar”, in which around 300 scholars, activists and policymakers will discuss the ideas of Dr BR Ambedkar."Like Donald Trump’s campaign, the election of Narendra Modi has unleashed a ferocious animosity against minorities,” King said drawing unflattering parallel between the two leaders. The government has consistently denied that there is any intolerance in the country

King went on to say that “all those who envisioned a Hindu country were being elected to institutions of democracy in India”. “What goes on in the US goes on in India,” said King, adding that free press was under attack in both countries.“Regular lynchings have become the new normal. Cow vigilantes lynch Muslims while police stand by,” he added. Attacking the right-wing, he said “reactionary forces which determine socio-economic powers must be resisted”. He recounted the Una cow vigilantism incident, a Mumbai girl’s arrest in 2013 over a Facebook post on the shutdown in the city following Bal Thackeray’s death and other instances to buttress his argument.In what he termed “a great oversight in American scholarship,” King lamented on the omission of Ambedkar in world history. He said the dalit leader wasn’t as well known outside India as he deserved to be, pointing out how the leader hardly appears in Richard Attenborough’s film ‘Gandhi’. King brought up several similarities between his father, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Ambedkar in their work and ideology.Drawing another parallel, he said, “What slavery and racism is to the American Civil Rights Movement, and now the Black Lives Matter, untouchability and caste are to the Indian freedom movement.”“If my father was alive today, he would support the dalit demonstrations and labour strikes in India. The caste system was outlawed 58 years ago, and yet, how much has changed?” He termed the conference “a watershed moment” in history.

Nobel laureate Kailash Sathyarthi said it was not enough to just remember Dr Ambedkar from time to time. “We must live with Babasaheb inside each of us,” Sathyarthi said.

Prakash Ambedkar, grandson of Dr Ambedkar took on the current dispensation at the Centre, saying that it was needed to reclaimAmbedkar{this is the crux - congies and leftists in India are seeing their sikular identity politic narratives on Ambedkar slipping fast since Dalits are embracing the Hindutva of ordinary pracharaks like Modi ji or Shri Ramnath Kovind and in doing so they are bringing Ambedkar back to Hindutva - from where he was appropriated from in the first place.To stem the tide congies will fund American SJW research on Ambedkar to create new breaking India narratives} because some ground on the social justice front had been lost over the past three years.

A report in a desi weekly quoting well-known US sources,said that the N-deal was primarily one for "defence deals" for the US,as the US had identified India as having to purchase a lot of mil eqpt. in the near future.That in hindsight can be clearly seen as C-17 orders kept Boeing from shutting its plant down,P-8Is another sweetener and Apaches,Chinooks.BAe howitzers also in the pipeline.The reactor deals seem to have suffered a meltdown",due to the bankruptcy of Westinghouse/Toshiba,and US refusal to adhere to the N-Liability bill. A way to circumvent that is being attempted in that bankrupt US entities like W,will design the plants,while Indian cos. will provide the rest of the eqpt.etc.

This is the (absurd) way in which the US is trying to fool India. It fundamentally the designer who is responsible for any defects.Would any sane person buy a car from let's say Ford (built in India),but if its engine explodes one day due to faulty design,the Indian plant/branch must pay compensation? :Look at how VW,Audi,Takata,etc. have been savagely penalised for their emission scandal,faulty airbags,etc. There can be no exception for N-plants.

We'd be happy if the good Senator got India its NSG membership first! It has to simply turn the screws on China. Secondly,we don't need any one's help in production of N-weapons. A warning to China ,even delivered privately,that it would face US N-wrath if it threatened India with an N-strike would suffice. However,what would be fine for us is puppet-string-free offers of advanced US naval tech ,with no intrusive inspections,etc.,to counter PLAN subs ,etc. If Russia can assist us with N-reactor tech for our desi N-subs,why can't the US do the same too?

Some years ago a Russian analyst said that Russia should offer India Oscar class SSGNs,Kirov class N-powered battlecruisers,plus a lot of other real heavyweight eqpt. ,like Backfires,etc.,etc. specifically to deal with China. It is finally upto us to decide what we want. If our diplomacy fails us,we'll have no alternative to lobby our closest friends for weaponry with which we can say "boo" to the dragon.

While the US and China negotiate a new resolution on North Korea as Pyongyang flouts sanctions with impunity, countries like India are coming under American attention to "do more" to contain the reclusive nation.

A US delegation from the State Department visited New Delhi this week to discuss how India could plug all exposure to North Korea. Among the "suggestions" to India are to limit and scale back its diplomatic engagement with Pyongyang.

North Korea tested an intercontinental ballistic missile on Friday that it claimed has the range to hit major US cities, prompting a fresh round of condemnation from the US and other countries.

India's exports to North Korea is about $110 million and in 2016, officials said, there was an over 30% drop in bilateral trade. China, North Korea's largest trading partner, on the other hand, registered a rise in trade.

In April this year, responding to UN resolutions, the Indian government also banned all trade (except food and medicines) with North Korea.

New Delhi sees a complex web of sharing of nuclear and missile technology between China, Pakistan and North Korea, something that is well documented.

Officials say they are being put on the defensive as India is the third largest trading partner for North Korea. "If more than 95% of trade is by one country (China), others in the list don't really matter, do they?" said an Indian official. The US has had singular failure in getting China to act definitively on North Korea.

Sources said the US wanted India to help to look for North Korean activity in the Indian sub-continent, which could be illicit activity under the garb of legitimate trade and suspicious movements of its people.

The US is clearly coming up dry in terms of options to deal with this intransigent nation which has advanced its technological prowess despite being under UN and US sanctions. But the Trump Administration is looking at this differently.

Having imposed sanctions on a couple of Chinese entities, Washington is on a mission to get its partners like Germany, France and India to cut back on engagement with Pyongyang as also remain on the same page. This is becoming difficult because of China and Russia, neither of whom really want to cooperate with the US at present.

At the recent G-20 summit in Hamburg, which took place under the shadow of Pyongyang's ICBM test of July 4, sources said 18 out of 20 countries issued strong statements condemning the test.

India said it was a threat to international peace. "North Korea's continued pursuit of nuclear& ballistic missile programmes and proliferation links pose grave threat to international peace.

They also impacted India's national security, call upon North Korea to refrain from such actions that undermine international peace," MEA said.

The two countries who did not condemn the tests were South Africa and Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia is one of Washington's closest allies. Recent reports suggest that there are thousands of North Koreans working in the Gulf states like UAE and Qatar.

Some other reports also point to UAE's purchases of weapons from North Korea. All these countries are very close to the US, despite the current crisis in the Gulf.

However, Indians have been alerted to the possibility that North Korean cyber-criminals (apparently under guidance of the state) might be targeting India's IT sector, in terms of hacking or inserting malware. Nobody seems to have detailed evidence.

But a private threat intelligence company called Recorded Future released a study recently in which it said, "There are significant physical and virtual North Korean presences in several nations around the world — nations where North Koreans are likely engaging in malicious cyber and criminal activities. These nations include India, Malaysia, New Zealand, Nepal, Kenya, Mozambique, and Indonesia."

Its report said they had analysed internet activity of North Koreans from April to July 2017. "Patterns of activity suggest that North Korea may have students at least in seven universities around the country and may be working with several research institutes and government departments. Nearly one-fifth of all activities observed during this time period involved India."

The bottom-line as far as India is concerned is that both China and Pakistan should be called out for their past and present collusion with North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes.

India must reciprocally ask the US to cut down on its engagement with Pakistan.

India must reciprocally ask the US to cut down on its engagement with Pakistan.

SSJi, if wishes were horses, beggars would ride. One statement like that from India, and you will see "Hindu fascism", "Muslims being lynched over beef", "India targets civilians across LoC", "India arm twisted Bhutan to oppose China's road construction" etc etc galore on CNN/Fox/NYT/WP. Do you think India has the power, "Hindu nationalist" ModiJi or their Queen madam, to take on US in such equal terms?

On a sunny morning show on Tuesday, Lindsey Graham made an exceedingly dark calculation. North Korea’s second test of an intercontinental ballistic missile meant that Kim Jong Un is nearly capable of placing a nuclear warhead on a long-range missile and hitting the United States with it, the Republican senator noted on the Today show. And America can’t allow such a “madman” to get to that point, at whatever cost to non-Americans.

Donald Trump agrees, Graham added, and he knows that because he’s heard it straight from the president: Trump has “got to choose between homeland security and regional stability,” Graham argued. “Japan, South Korea, China would all be in the crosshairs of a war if we started one with North Korea. But if [North Korea gets] a missile they can hit California, maybe other parts of America.”

“If there’s going to be a war to stop [Kim Jong Un], it will be over there. If thousands die, they’re going to die over there. They’re not going to die here. And [Trump’s] told me that to my face,” Graham said. “That may be provocative, but not really. When you’re president of the United States, where does your allegiance lie? To the people of the United States.”

...

If the U.S. military were to strike North Korea for the reasons Graham mentioned, it would be the result of a calculation that sparking a real conflict in East Asia is preferable to accepting a theoretical threat to the United States—that it’s worth risking the actual deaths of those living in and near North Korea, including American expats and troops stationed in Japan and South Korea, to avert the potential deaths of Americans at home. When I surveyed experts this spring, they predicted that whatever form U.S. strikes against North Korea take, they could result in thousands or even millions of deaths—as the North Koreans retaliate with conventional, chemical, and perhaps nuclear weapons, and the United States and its allies respond in kind, dragging the region into a spiral of conflict. The vast range of the casualty estimates spoke to just how much unknown risk U.S. military planners would be assuming.

"The president's national security team is developing a comprehensive, integrated strategy for South Asia that utilizes all aspects of our national power to address this complex region," said Michael Anton, spokesman for the National Security Council. "That strategy has been worked carefully in the interagency process and while no decision has been made the president's team continues to develop options for him that address threats and opportunities to America arising from this vital region."

India must reciprocally ask the US to cut down on its engagement with Pakistan.

SSJi, if wishes were horses, beggars would ride. One statement like that from India, and you will see "Hindu fascism", "Muslims being lynched over beef", "India targets civilians across LoC", "India arm twisted Bhutan to oppose China's road construction" etc etc galore on CNN/Fox/NYT/WP. Do you think India has the power, "Hindu nationalist" ModiJi or their Queen madam, to take on US in such equal terms?

The first question we should ask ourselves is where does NoKo fit in our calculus. Just to remind ourselves, it is China's pawn, and has bartered Nuke for missiles with pigs. How have they helped us in past or how are they going to help us in future? Do we really need to trade even a single paisa with them in them in the first place??? In fact we should go out of our way to show our loyalty with these guys, which can be used in Iran's situation.

Kashi wrote:NoKo has little to offer, but they do have cheap and untapped mineral deposits...

Trade between India and North Korea has seen a large increase in recent years. From an average total trade of barely $10 million in the middle of the 2000s, it shot up to $60 million in 2013. The trade is overwhelmingly in India's favour, with its exports accounting for roughly $60 million while North Korean exports to India were worth $36 million. India's primary export to North Korea is refined petroleum products while silver and auto parts are the main components of its imports from North Korea.[17] India participated in the sixth Pyongyang Autumn International Trade Fair in October 2010 and there have been efforts to bring about greater economic cooperation and trade between the two countries since then.[14][16] In 2010–11, Indo-North Korean trade stood at $57 million with India's exports accounting for $32 million.

This is what viki babe tells me, can't we get silver from elsewhere in teh world, they wont be selling it cheap for sure...

Bobby Ghosh, the editor-in-chief of the Hindustan Times quoting one of our diplomats on the presence of US President Donald Trump’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit being held in Hyderabad.

"We regard Ivanka Trump the way we do half-wit Saudi princes. It's in our national interest to flatter them.”

“Yes, it is a shame that the US should be compared to a kingdom. But that is America's shame, not Modi's, or India's.”

India should tell Trump that if he wants a win in Afghanistan,he should screw Pak and the ISI.Massive sanctions on Pak,Paki generals,travel restrictions,ban on entering the US for all Pakis,etc.,etc. is needed to bring Pak to book.Use the eco and mil aid earlier given to Pak to the Afghans,therefore there will be no extra burden on the US.Get a UN mandated force involving many nations to squat in Afghanistan and bomb the daylights of the ungodly daily with drones,etc.,whether they are in Afghanistan or Pak. Impose searches of selected merchant vessels entering and leaving Pak. Once the drug trade between the Afghans/Taliban and the ISIS is affected/cut off,watch the Paki state implode.But Trump should stay the distance.

Trump should up the ante with China over the ICS and Chinese land/atoll grabbing and creation of atolls in the ICS. If China can do so,Trump should advise,assist and protect the littoral nations from doing the same.China must be stopped in the ICS.If it is allowed a victory there,the IOR is its next step.

Donald Trump could 'blunder' into Third World War with North Korea threats, warns former US intelligence chiefFormer Director of National Intelligence says he fears 'game of rhetoric chicken' could spiral out of control

Chris Baynes

A former US spy chief has said he fears a war of words between Donald Trump and North Korea could "spiral" out of control into global military conflict.

James Clapper, the ex-Director of National Intelligence, warned the two countries could "blunder" into a Third World War as they exchange escalating hostilities.

His caution came after the US President further ramped up the rhetoric of the nuclear stand-off, vowing North Korea risked being “in trouble like few nations have ever been".

READ MORECould North Korea go to nuclear war with the US?

He suggested he had not been "tough enough" when he threatened to unleash "fire and fury" in retaliation to threats by Pyongyang, which responded by claiming it was formulating plans to fire missiles at the US territory of Guam.

"I do worry that this game of rhetoric chicken is going to become self-fulfilling," Mr Clapper told CNN Tonight.

"The President has kind of drawn a red line here and has implied - more than implied - [he would] take some direct action just based on the things that the North Koreans say, which to me is not very responsible."

Mr Clapper, who was Barack Obama's intelligence chief from August 2010 until January this year, added he was worried "that this will spiral out of further control".

READ MOREUS mainland could be 'reduced to ashes at any moment'Trump 'has not asked' for UK help for North Korea military strikesChina could stay 'neutral' if North Korea launches nuclear strikes

"It's somewhat reminiscent to me of the history of World War I and how the world kind of blundered into that. I hope people learn from history here and don't repeat that," he said.

But he added: "I don't think we are there yet. I think there is still time for other measures. Sanctions, diplomacy, all those kind of things."

Mr Clapper served in US intelligence agencies and the military for more than 40 years, working under both Democrat and Republican presidents.

CNN's chief national security correspondent Jim Sciutto suggested the ex-spy chief's warnings should be taken seriously because he "is not someone who tends towards bombastic comments".

"He has genuine concern about the direction of events in North Korea," the journalist added.

Mr Trump's bellicose rhetoric this week rattled both allies and adversaries and led to 60 members of Congress signing a letter of complaint to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Thursday.

But the President showed no signs of toning down his hostility after North Korea taunted him as “bereft of reason” and someone for whom “only absolute force can work".

“Frankly, the people who were questioning [my] statement, was it too tough? Maybe it wasn’t tough enough,” he said.

QUESTION: What’s your stand on Senator McCain’s Afghan strategy which he unveiled this morning? Have you seen this?

MS NAUERT: Mm-hmm. So I’m certainly aware of Senator McCain’s proposal. By the way, it was great to see Senator McCain back here in Washington just a few weeks ago, a very strong and tough man. And as someone whose own father experienced the same illness that he had, I was really proud to see him walk back into Washington.

That personal note aside, let me just say the Afghan review policy, which I know a lot of people are very curious about, is still under way. There have been a lot of conversations and negotiations with the President’s national security team. Of course, that includes Secretary Tillerson as part of that. We are looking at this as not just a solution to Afghanistan, but also a broader concern that incorporates India and Pakistan as well as a regional solution. We just don’t have that plan. And by the way, the White House will roll out that plan, but we just don’t have that done just yet. It’s still under review, okay?

If this “broader concern that incorporates India” involves doing an Equal=Equal with the Mohammadden Terrorism Fomenting Islamic Republic by way of allaying their paranoia and/or limiting our role Afghnaistan, the US should be told to FO. Anyway as this is still “under review”, wait and watch.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA: A disquiet anxiety has gripped the residents of Charlottesville, many of whom are Indian Americans, after a rally of white supremacists ended in clashes with counter-protesters and claimed the life of a woman and two others.

While normalcy seemed to have returned to the city by afternoon yesterday, residents grappled with shock and fear following a day of violence when a car rammed into a crowd peacefully protesting against the rally by white supremacists, killing the 32-year-old woman.

The city in the US state of Virginia has a significant Indian and Indian-American population, but there was no report of anyone from the community being injured in the violence on Saturday.

Philip wrote:A warning to China ,even delivered privately,that it would face US N-wrath if it threatened India with an N-strike would suffice.

Are you serious? The US wants China to nuke us. It would be a huge boon to their military industrial complex as it would lock India into US arms purchases for many decades to come. It would also make us a desperate vassal state of the US for the foreseeable future. For the US, there are no real downsides to a Chinese-Indian nuclear war. Only upsides, both politically and militarily.

Washington: US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have agreed to enhance peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, the White House said on Tuesday.

The have decided to establish a new two-by-two ministerial dialogue, which would elevate their strategic consultations

Trump had spoken with PM Modi last night to greet him on the eve of India's Independence Day.

During the phone call, Trump welcomed the first-ever shipment of American crude oil to India, which will begin this month from Texas.

He pledged that the US would continue to be a reliable and long-term supplier of energy to India, the White House said in a readout of the phone call between the two leaders.

"The leaders resolved to enhance peace and stability across the Indo-Pacific region by establishing a new two-by- two ministerial dialogue that will elevate their strategic consultations," the White House said, as per PTI.

Prime Minister Modi thanked President Trump for his strong leadership uniting the world against the North Korean menace.

If true that this is indeed what our Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, I am truly disgusted at this abject grovelling our Prime Minister. I say that as North Korea is a minor direct security threat in comparison to the menance of the Mohammadden Terrorism Fomenting Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Peoples Republic of China etc., as at worst North Korea represents a menace only from the limited standpoint of proliferating missile technology to the Islamic Republic. If on the other hand this is a bit of Self Aggandisement by Donald Trump then India must officially deny.

Bollocks to any “Half Wit Saudi Princes”, “It's in our national interest to flatter them” type arguents that were trotted out in the Hindustan Times article posted by me on this same page of this thread (Clicky)

Y. Kanan wrote:Are you serious? The US wants China to nuke us. It would be a huge boon to their military industrial complex as it would lock India into US arms purchases for many decades to come.

Nobody wants anybody to nuke anybody. The world isn't run by mad-men.

If China nuked us, we'd likely nuke them back. The chain of events would be uncontrollable and everybody participating in the global economy would suffer. Including the US. Economic damage aside there are close to 100,000 US citizens visiting or residing in India and an even greater number in China, all whom would potentially be collateral damage in a nuclear exchange.

As for India, arms purchases would be among the last of our concerns after suffering a nuclear strike.

Prime Minister Modi thanked President Trump for his strong leadership uniting the world against the North Korean menace.

If true that this is indeed what our Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, I am truly disgusted at this abject grovelling our Prime Minister. I say that as North Korea is a minor direct security threat in comparison to the menance of the Mohammadden Terrorism Fomenting Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Peoples Republic of China etc., as at worst North Korea represents a menace only from the limited standpoint of proliferating missile technology to the Islamic Republic. If on the other hand this is a bit of Self Aggandisement by Donald Trump then India must officially deny.

Bollocks to any “Half Wit Saudi Princes”, “It's in our national interest to flatter them” type arguents that were trotted out in the Hindustan Times article posted by me on this same page of this thread (Clicky)

1) The more Donald Trump continues saber-rattling towards NoKo and using multiple types of leverage (trade, diplomatic, military) to pressure the Chinese over the issue... the better for India. China cannot focus on the India border at all, and is kept distracted by the unpredictable likelihood of another (closer to home) front getting hot.

2) It is a well-known principle of HR/personnel management (from Dale Carnegie days) that when an employee/underling performs a behavior or action that you want him to repeat or continue, you should praise/thank the employee/underling to incentivize this.

3) It has been true for a long time that US/Western leaders and diplomats and leaders have seen SDRE Indian officials as petty chieftains with huge inferiority-complexes, who could be manipulated to do anything via flattery. Beginning with Nehru who would basically give away J&K if you praised his Eton accent, his golf game, and his knowledge of Shakespeare. Now the shoe is on the other foot. It is the US president who is tribalistic, petty, insecure, and very prone to flattery.

So why not take advantage of the especially susceptible US president (3) to apply a well-established principle of influence (2) towards achieving something that is in India's strategic interest (1)?

On the other hand, I do not understand what the loss for India is here, other than some very nebulous notion of H&D (can that really be injured by some statement in a phone call that has completely escaped the notice of 99.99999% of the public domain?)

I like the way Trump is turning out...which seems to be in line with some of the more optimistic predictions that some of us had. Hard stance on China & Pakistan and meritocratic immigration law in the US - things seem good so far. Of course, with Trump's unpredictability one can't be certain how long this will last, but so far so good for India !

New breakthroughs! oil shipments frm US to India has started,” the Indian Embassy in Washington tweeted on Wednesday after Indian Ambassador to the US, Navtej Sarna, handed over papers for the shipment to the Texas Governor Greg Abbott.The first lot of two million barrels costs USD 100 million, but given the volume being contemplated by Indian companies, this new development is expected to boost the bilateral oil trade to USD 2 billion.“Opening New Vistas in India US Co-opn,” tweeted the Indian Embassy in Washington DC which also posted several pictures and a video of the event.Consignments of American crude oil left the US shores between August 6-14 and is likely to reach Paradip (Odisha) in the last week of September.hile the 40-year-old ban on export of American oil was lifted by the then US President Barack Obama in December 2015, the real move started during the maiden meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump on June 26 when the two leaders agreed to deepen the engagement in the energy sector.Soon thereafter, Indian companies started purchasing crude from the US. Two Indian oil giants, Indian Oil Corporation and Bharat Petroleum, placed orders for over four million barrels. The development was welcomed by Trump in his phone call with Modi.“In his call with Prime Minister Modi on Monday, President Trump welcomed the first-ever shipment of American crude oil to India, which will occur from Texas later this month,” a State Department spokesperson told PTI.“The President pledged that the United States would continue to be a reliable, long-term supplier of energy,” the spokesperson said in response to a question.

NoKo's loss is China's loss. No 2 ways about it. All these years, the POTUS always backed off because of fear of Red China. Trump needs to get over that, so India's describing NoKo as Threat #1 is quite right: because it is China that is behind it.

Y. Kanan wrote:Are you serious? The US wants China to nuke us. It would be a huge boon to their military industrial complex as it would lock India into US arms purchases for many decades to come.

Nobody wants anybody to nuke anybody. The world isn't run by mad-men.

If China nuked us, we'd likely nuke them back. The chain of events would be uncontrollable and everybody participating in the global economy would suffer. Including the US. Economic damage aside there are close to 100,000 US citizens visiting or residing in India and an even greater number in China, all whom would potentially be collateral damage in a nuclear exchange.

As for India, arms purchases would be among the last of our concerns after suffering a nuclear strike.

I'm certainly guilty of hyperbole on occasion. I agree that Uncle doesn't really want an Indo-Chinese nuclear war, due to the economic fallout of such a catastrophe.

But it should be obvious the US wants us to get a bloody nose, preferably a humiliating defeat that leaves Indian territory under Chinese occupation. Hoping to someday get our territory back, we'd have to go begging the US for political support and arms. The outcome of this defeat would drive a giant wedge between India and Russia, forcing the Russians to fully embrace the Chinese-Paki axis at our expense. As a result, we'd have no leverage any more. Weakened and now friendless, the US could dictate any terms to us, in exchange for some vague promises of support, which as always with the Americans, would never actually materialize.